Finding a Lost Relative in Japan

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Related information: Lawyers, Private Investigators

First, read the following kinks and understand what a koseki and jyuminhyou are.  Then read about finding the address of a Japanese local government office.  If you were adopted, read about adoptions in Japan.  After you understand this material, the following may help you. 

There are ways to track people in Japan if you can prove that you are related. Here are some ways, listed from best to worst.

• You have a koseki with your name on it.
• You know the honseki-chi and hittousya of a koseki with your name on it.
• You have a koseki of anyone who is a relative of yours.
• You know there is a koseki somewhere with your name on it, and you have a jyuminhyou for someone else listed on that koseki.
• You know that you are listed on the koseki of one of your parents.  You know one of your parents' Japanese name and have the address of someplace they used to live.  The more recent the better.
• You know that you are listed on the koseki of one of your parents.   You know the general area in Japan where they used to live.
• You know the exact name and address of any Japanese relative of yours.
• You know the exact name and the general area in Japan that a Japanese relative of yours lives now.
• You know the exact name and the general area in Japan that a Japanese relative of yours used to live.

With any of the above information, it may be possible to track down your parents.   If you are listed on a koseki, you will have the right to get it, and your chances of finding your parent are very good, assuming they are not trying hide. If you are not listed, then the local government office will have to decide whether you have the right to get this information or not. In this case, you will need as much additional evidence as possible proving your relationship. If that information is not in Japanese, get it translated.

If your Japanese is good, you may be able to do it by yourself by contacting various local government offices.  If you are in Japan, it is easier, since you may be able to go to that office.  Having an actual koseki or jyuminhyouwill make it easier, since they will point to a specific local government office.  If not, it is much more likely that you will need a lawyer to help you find the the right office, you are The more exact an address you have the easier it will be to find the place to start.  Unless you have some location information, your search is likely impossible, or will at least be a very costly that only a lawyer (or private investigator) can help you with.

If you have a koseki or information identifying a specific koseki, find the local government office that corresponds to that koseki.  Contact them and ask for a copy.  If it is no longer there, tell them you want to trace where it went.  You may have to repeat this process from office to office, but eventually you should be able to find an active koseki.  From there, you need to request a jyuminhyou.  The active koseki should have active jyuminhyou information.  Contact that government office to get the jyuminhyou.  That should have the current address of the person you are searching for.  After that, you are on your own.

If you have a jyuminhyou, then you need to find the corresponding government office and get a copy of that jyuminhyou. It will list the honseki-chi of the hittousya.  Get that koseki and trace the person using that.

If you do not have a specific address on a jyuminhyou, then you likely need a lawyer.  I think there are ways for lawyers to request a koseki or a jyuminhyou with less specific information, but I am not sure.

Good luck!